The present disclosure finds its genesis in limitations in using traditional two-dimensional (2D) and 3D images in surgical settings. Surgical planning is necessary for every medical procedure. A surgeon and their team must have a plan for a case before entering an operating room, not just as a matter of good practice but to minimize malpractice liabilities and to enhance patient outcomes. Surgical planning is often conducted based on medical images including 2D DICOM scans (MRI, CT, etc.), requiring the surgeon to flip through numerous views/slices, and utilizing this information to imagine a 3D model of the patient so that the procedure may be planned. Accordingly, in such a scenario, the best course of action is often a surgeon's judgment call based on the data that they are provided.
While 2D images may allow for a surgeon to make a general plan for a procedure, they have their limitations as the human body is not two-dimensional. Therefore, for complex cases, for example, brain tumor resections, the patient's life and many essential functions are at risk, requiring accurate planning taking into account the three-dimensional complexities of a brain's anatomy. Therefore, there is a need for advancement in visualization that allows for better surgical planning. Currently technology that is being utilized in surgical settings includes traditional monitors which display two-dimensional radiographic imaging co-registered to the patient. Furthermore, current uses of three-dimensional models in medical setting are limited due to their lack of refinement and accurate rendering and an inability to utilize them in real-time with accuracy as a procedure is being conducted.